Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sark Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sark

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $657 in Sark.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,311 in Lisbon versus $2,073 in Sark.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,411 in Lisbon versus $3,488 in Sark.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 236% more expensive than Sark, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 65% above, Sark is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$19.17 GGP 14.25

-17.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$80.2 GGP 59.6

-19.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.43 GGP 1.81

18.11%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.93

$2.66 GGP 1.97

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.96 GGP 1.46

-23.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$3.89 GGP 2.89

-10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$3.90 GGP 2.90

-0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.74 GGP 2.04

-58.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$2.73 GGP 2.03

-35.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$3.51 GGP 2.61

-49.86%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$4.95 GGP 3.67

-34.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$8.71 GGP 6.47

-9.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$8.27 GGP 6.14

91.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$3.12 GGP 2.32

-25.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$4.56 GGP 3.39

-62.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$3.89 GGP 2.89

-48.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$5.47 GGP 4.06

-55.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$3.09 GGP 2.30

-40.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$3.15 GGP 2.34

-36.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$2.14 GGP 1.59

-9.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.56 GGP 1.16

-49.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$10.04 GGP 7.46

-34.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.98 GGP 1.47

-30.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$2.12 GGP 1.58

40.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.03 GGP 1.51

16.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$13.85 GGP 10.29

32.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.3K €29.5K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.3K €33.8K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$148 €127

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.52 €17.65

$21.53 GGP 15.99

-4.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$92.3 GGP 68.6

-57.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$2,075 GGP 1,541

46.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$1,685 GGP 1,252

19.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sark: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $65.0 in Lisbon vs $80.0 in Sark for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $300 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Sark: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sark differ by about 236% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $657 including rent). Sark is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,315 in Lisbon and $986 in Sark to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Sark – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $65.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Lisbon versus $657 in Sark – a 236% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $657 in Sark versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sark but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sark the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Sark are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sark gentler on the wallet – expenses run 236% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.